Unconventional: A popular description of Nigel Mansell’s turbulent racing career

Nigel Mansell had faced many challenges. Unlike many other top drivers, he did not grow up in a wealthy family or have the privilege of pursuing his racing career in a nurturing environment. Inspired by Jim Clark’s racing, Mansell set his sights on becoming a race driver and entered the harsh, unpredictable world of racing under less-than-ideal circumstances. As he progressed through karting, FF1600, and F3, Mansell sacrificed everything to secure a better car, and threw himself into racing.

For Mansell, who had climbed his own way up, the greatest weapon he had was speed, and developed an unwavering philosophy that this was the most important attribute in motor racing. To attract attention, gain recognition, and secure a better position or car, being faster than others was most important. Clever race strategy, calm judgment, and following orders were secondary. For Mansell, the race was all about overtaking the car in front of him, and shaving every bit of time off his lap.

The first person to recognize Mansell’s racing spirit was Colin Chapman, founder of Team Lotus. It was in 1981 that Mansell secured a seat as an F1 driver. However, during his time with Lotus, Mansell struggled to find pace and had a rocky relationship with his new team manager, Peter Warr. At the end of 1982, Chapman suddenly passed away, and Mansell’s position within the team weakened.

His pure pursuit of speed always divided opinions that others held. Mansell’s career as a driver was turbulent, with many ups and downs. Team members were clearly divided between those who appreciated his racing style and those who criticized him for not following instructions and repeatedly racing selfishly. However, despite advice to compromise, Mansell never changed.

Frank Williams, who had highly regarded Mansell, brought him into the Williams team in 1985, when Mansell’s position at Lotus had deteriorated. Williams, who had been collaborating with Honda since 1984 and had gained Honda’s first F1 victory in its second F1 era, was ready for the challenge to win the championship with the powerful FW10 and the new RA165E engine. Its one driver was Keke Rosberg, with Mansell joining as number two.

Rosberg initially took a tough stance toward Mansell, but once it became clear that this was due to misunderstandings stemming from negative publicity, the team’s attitude improved. Meanwhile, the new RA165E specification introduced by Honda mid-season began to show its true potential, propelling Williams into championship contention. Mansell secured his long-awaited first F1 victory in Round 14, the European Grand Prix, and went on to win the following South African Grand Prix as well.

From here, Honda power and Mansell began their charge, propelling Mansell into the ranks of top drivers competing for the championship. (For more details, see the feature on 1985-1987 Williams Honda.)

After losing Honda power in 1988, Williams experienced a sharp decline. Mansell, still chasing victories, moved to Ferrari in 1989 and continued to demonstrate his speed by winning the opening round. However, when Alain Prost became his teammate in 1990, Mansell’s position within the team deteriorated, and he shocked the F1 world by announcing his retirement after Round 8, the British Grand Prix. When it was announced that Tyrrell's rising star Jean Alesi had turned down Williams’ offer and instead joined Ferrari, Mansell reversed his decision to retire and opted to return to his former team, Williams, which had been left without a driver. This was a typically bold move for Mansell.

1992 was the culmination for Mansell’s F1 career.

In 1992, Mansell drove the Williams Renault to legendary speeds. The FW14B, powered by a cutting-edge active suspension system, demonstrated unmatched speed with Mansell at the wheel. His teammate, Riccardo Patrese, despite driving the same car, could not match Mansell’s speed. Patrese later described the movement of the active suspension as feeling unnatural to the human senses, causing nothing but discomfort and fear. Mansell, however, was unfazed by such concerns, maintaining his full-throttle spirit throughout. He claimed pole in 14 out of 16 races, won nine, and finally claimed the World Championship title in his 12th F1 season. This was the moment when Mansell’s full-throttle spirit finally bloomed. Remarkably, aside from the nine victories, the results were three second-place finishes and four retirements, clearly demonstrating his dominance throughout the season.

Another major event occurred in 1992: Honda announced its withdrawal from F1. The announcement came just before Round 13, the Italian Grand Prix, in which, coincidentally, Mansell announced his retirement for the second time, despite team opposition. Without Honda power, Ayrton Senna and Williams began negotiations, and Mansell, caught in the middle, made his decision after growing weary of the politics.

Mansell's unconventional approach continued after his F1 retirement

In 1993, Mansell competed in the American CART series, showcasing his speed in the pure oval races and promptly winning the championship. He became the third driver after Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi to win both the F1 and CART series. In 1994, he made a wildcard appearance in F1 with Williams in the final round and won, proving his speed was still intact. In 1995, Mansell moved to McLaren, but struggled to adapt to the car and team, and announced his departure after Round 4, the Spanish Grand Prix.

There was no announcement of his retirement, but this was the end of Mansell’s racing career.

Mansell, who always pursued speed and victory, often found himself in unfavorable situations due to his principles. However, his full-throttle spirit was praised by many fans, and he remains a remarkable and distinctive racer to this day.

Although Mansell rose to the top as a driver alongside Honda’s rise, he was unable to win the championship with Honda power. Later, Mansell reflected on the 1986 Australian GP, where he nearly won the World Championship, but failed due to a burst tire in the closing stages, calling it “the most regrettable moment of my life.”